One Shots by spookydal

Dead and gone and buried (Charlie Barber)

Okay please forgive me in advance for this. It's not total angst but still. This is inspired by all too well and the asshole side of Charlie that we decide to ignore 👀
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It's funny to think about how things work sometimes. The things you want to forget about the most end up sticking with you the longest. The things that keep you up late at night will haunt you for as long as you could remember. That these moments you wanted to wash clean would end up staining your skin. That something that started so small affected you tremendously.

For you, that thing you wanted to forget was Charlie.

When you met him, the air was cold and the autumn leaves blew around in the busy streets. That time of year was non-stop for you, Charlie only adding to the craziness. You couldn't quite figure out what it was about him that separated him from everyone else. What about him made him catch your eye or find yourself smiling at the thought of him?

He was a bit older than you, which wasn't an issue for you. He was sophisticated and knew what he wanted. He talked in a certain way that made you weak in the knees and bat your eyelashes at him. He had this power over you and you couldn't excuse it.

After a few weeks, it turned out that he felt the same way about you. With that newfound knowledge, the two of you jumpstarted a relationship.

Living in New York, life was hectic. With the busy streets filled with people on the go, Charlie had a way to slow things down. He would whisk you away from town, giving the two of you a moment of peace.

It was like you could hear your own thoughts for the first time. With the wind blowing through your hair, the autumn chill spread across your face as he drove the two of you away. It was like he rescued you away from the things you feared the most, giving you a chance to breathe.

Even with the many things you wanted to forget, you felt like shit wanting to hold onto those moments. When he held your hand and sang with you along to the radio or ran his fingers through your hair while he told you one of his many stories. The feeling you had while he stared into your eyes, felt he was falling in love with you...

Charlie never said it out loud, though. You could imagine that after a divorce, it would be hard for a person to express their feelings. You just had to give him time...

"How are you real?" You asked him one night in bed. The only source of light you had was from the window beside his bed, the surrounding buildings shining down on you. He had his arm wrapped around your waist, tugging you closer to him.

The only response he had was a smile spreading across his face as you stared into his eyes again. They shined down at you, almost as bright as the lights from outside.

"I mean, seriously-" Charlie lifted his hand to your cheek as you continued. "I'm here... With you..." You trailed off as he inched closer to you, placing his lips perfectly against yours.

After that, you thought things were different between you two.

One night, Charlie was at rehearsal all day for his upcoming show. After texting back and forth with you, he invited you to a bar downtown that his cast and crew hung out at. You were excited, this being the first time you would be around his world.

Normally, it was only you two. Your lives were separated from everyone elses', which you didn't have a problem with but after a while, you were practically begging to be included.

Things started out great. When you walked through the door, Charlie ran over to you and introduced you to his crew. After they all greeted you, you retreated towards the bar to get a drink for you and Charlie.